When God gives us a direction or information, it is not unusual for the devil to come immediately to steal that which God has given to us. Opposition may come by a thought to cause us to doubt. Or a human might be carrier of the contrary information to stop us. Regardless, we must learn to hold fast to that original word which we believe to be from God, settling ourselves by turning to God and asking HIM to establish that which HE wants us to do in the matter at hand.
By turning to God and holding fast to that which God says to us, we "Fight the good fight of faith."
Whatever God has said to us, the devil says the opposite. And we have to choose!
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* Preface to today's message: Coronavirus Report #2
Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
We have no "want" because the Lord is leading us and we are following HIM.
Pam Padgett: About two weeks before the Coronavirus explosion, Pam would be buying standard supplies at grocery store and on some items she would be "led" to buy more of that item, so she did that. It was a very gentle leading but she yielded to the idea.
Then by March 12, when panic began to set in over the virus in USA, Pam realized she already had that item in her basement because she had been led to buy "2" packages instead of the single package which she planned to buy.
(God knows future that is coming to us. A good shepherd sees the pasture is going to dry up and he moves the sheep another way. Sometimes the sheep move easily and other times a sheep dog nips at the heel of that sheep to help him decide to make that move to the green pasture. Prophets are those sheep dogs who move the church in ways of God. )
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Ephesians 4:11-12 And HE gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
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Devil comes to steal the Word of God
II Corinthians 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Is it the letter of the law or is it the way of God for the church today?
God settles the issue by the following: (Concerning the woman remarrying after divorce.)
I Corinthians 7:10-11
10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:
11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
Notice this is "a commandment of the Lord" for the wife in the New Testament church.
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John 10:10 Jesus says: The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Also there is a way that seems like "life" to our flesh because of our own desires and preferences, but that way is actually a way to death for us.
God will try to bring us to a way of life by HIS Word.
Also there is a way that seems like "life" to our flesh because of our own desires and preferences, but that way is actually a way to death for us.
God will try to bring us to a way of life by HIS Word.
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Genesis 3
("Hath God said," is the primary doubting concept the devil brings to our mind after we hear something from God ... "Was that really from God ... or did I just imagine it?")
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
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Mark 4
4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: 6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10 And when HE was alone, they that were about HIM with the twelve asked of HIM the parable.
11 And HE said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
14 The sower soweth the word.
15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
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These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
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